Method and apparatus for making pencil marking points



B. SOLOW Dec. 3, 1963 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PENCIL MARKINGPOINTS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Original Filed May l?, 1955 101m f/JM//Y SOZOWBY auth H. m

INVEN ,4 rra/PNEX B. soLow 3,112,561 t METHOD AND APPARATUS FoR MAKINGPENCIL MARKING POINTS ,Y

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3,112,561 METHD AND APPARATUS FR MAKING PENCIL MARKING PiNIS BenjaminSolow, 5743 Rhodes Ave.,

North Hollywood, Calif. riginal application May 17, 1955, Ser. No.508,957, now Patent No. 2,942,577, dated .lune 23, 1960. Divided andthis application Feb. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 9,485

2 Claims. (Cl. 29-420) rThis invention relates to novel pencilmarking-points and to xa method yand apparatus for making suchmarkingpoints.

For many years pencil manufacturers have sought a mechanical lead pencilthat would provide a sharp point, which sharp point would not be dulledafter the initial writing period.

A suggested solution to this problem is the magazine form of mechanicalpencil, namely pencils in which a series of sharp points are containedin a magazine, and in which means are provided for ejecting worn pointsand substituting new ones therefor. A number of United States patentshave been granted on such devices, such as Fornander Patent 499,191issued June 6, el893; Goldsmith Patent 618,172 issued January 24, 1899,etc.

However, the magazine pencil has never proven commercially practicable.The salient reason for the failure of this pencil lies in the fact thatit has not been possible to provide a sharpened pencil lead havingadequate structural strength. Thus, the pencil leads are subjected tostresses and strains in manufacture and assembly, particularly duringthe magazine loading operation, in transport, and while positionedwithin the pencil, etc. causing the points to shatter, split, :or becomedull. As it has not heretofore been possible to provide a pencilmarkingpoint having adequate strength, the magazine form of pencil hasnot been commercially exploited,

This invention has IasV `an object the provision of -a pencilmarking-point for use in a magazine pencil, which marking-pointpossesses great structural strength.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a methodof manufacturing pencil markingpoints possessing great structuralstrength.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of apparatusfor making pencil marking-points of great strength.

Still further objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to. the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

'Referring to lthe drawings, wherein like reference characters refer tolike parts;

FIGURE l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the pencilmarking-point of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a part elevation 'and part longitudinal sectional view of asplit ltube magazine of the present invention showing a plurality ofpencil marking-points nested together.

FIGURE 3 is :a fragmentary enlarged sectional View of a portion ofFIGURE 2 showing the relationship of the pencil marking-points nestedtogether.

FIGURE 3a is a vertical sectional View of Aa modified embodiment of thepencil marking-point of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of an embodiment of a mold for formingthe pencil marking points of the present invention.

LFIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of the sheet metal plate usedto form the support collar for the pencil marking points of rthe presentinvention.

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3,112,561 Fatented Bec. 3, 1963 FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewthrough the sections of the mold with the mold sect-ions in operativealignment, and with a pencil marking-point formed therebetween.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional View of the punching-out stage inthe manufacture of the pencil marking-points of the present invention.

Referring Ito fthe drawings, and initially to FIGURES l, 2 and 3 thepencil marking-point of the present invention is design-ated 1li.Marking-point 1li comprises a sheet metal tubular collar 12 and a pencillead 14. Pencil leazd 14 has a sharp conical point 16 surrounded by anannular hat 17 at one end, and a cone-shaped cavity 13 at the other end,surrounded by `an annular at 19. The tubular collar 12 has au inwardlydirected ange 21 which covers :a portion of flat 17. The cone-shapedcavity 18 is of a size sufficient to form 'a nest for the tip portion ofthe point 16 of la similarly shaped pencil lead 14 so that internesting4or sheathing of a plurality of pencil points may be accomplished invertical alignment within a split tube magazine 23 (see FQIGURES` 2 and3). As seen particularly in yFIGURE 3, when the' marking-points areinternested, llange 21 of each upper marking-point rests on the annularupper edge Z4 of the metal collar 12 of the next lower marking-point.There is a gap between point 16 of each up er marking-point and cavity18 tof each lower marking-point. In this manner all longitudinal thrustis borne by the metal collar 12 and not by lead 14 when themarking-points are internested.

The metal tubular collar 12 serves as a shield protecting pencil lead 14from shock, when fthe marking-point 1i) is grasped at its sides withinthe magazine 23. The internesting of point 16 of the pencil lead 14 ofone marking-point 1d within the cone-shaped cavity 18 of the pencil lead14 of another marking-point 1li leads to further structural strength Iasthe points 16 are protected by the pencil lead 14 arid metal tubularcollar 12 of the marking point within which the point 16 is received.

The method and apparatus for manufacturing the pencil marking-points ofthe present invention can be ascertained from an examination of 'FIGURES4 through 7, wherein the manufacture of the pencil marking-point 1i) isillustrated.

One embodiment of the mold used in the present invention isdiagnammatically illustrated in FIGURE 4. The mold designated generallyas 5t? comprises an upper or cap section 52 and `a lower or bottomsection 54. The sections 52 and 54 are provided with respective matingconical knobs and cavities, so that when upper section 52 alignedlyrests on the upper surface of lower section 54, each cavity 53 formed inlower section 54 received a mating conical knob 55 of upper section 52.

The cavity 53 in lower section 54 includes a downwardly directedcone-shaped recess 55 which forms the sharp conical point 116 of pencillead 14, and a surrounding or contiguous plateau 57 on which flange 21rests.

Conical knob 55 is smaller than the mouth of cavity 53 in lower section54 and forms cone-shaped cavity 1S in pencil lead l1d. Surroundingconical knob 55 is a raised contiguous plateau 59 which forms hat l19 inpencil lead 14.

A sheet metal plate 6i? of thin sheet metal (see in particular, FIGURE5) having annular flanges 612, which serves as a metallic liner (seeFIGURE 6) is fitted over bottom section 54. As shown in FIGURE 6i, plate60 covers the surface of bottom section 54, except for the cone-shapedrecesses 56 and the plateaus 57.

The conventional components used in forming pencil leads, such as aplasticized mass of finely divided graphite, soot and yclay are placedin the space between the depending annular ange `62 and the cone-shapedrecess 56 in each of the cavities 53 of bottom section 54. Sutilcientpencil lead component composition `is included so that when mold section52 is placed over mold section '54, the pencil lead components till thecavity intermedi- `ate upper section 52 and lower section 54.

No claim is made to novel pencil lead compositions. Accordingly,conventional pencil lead compositions may be used. Straight Patent2,388,447; Ferst Patent 2,355,- 639; Van Dusen Patent 2,566,753; LoyPatent 2,645,582, Maneval Patent 2,679,460 and Loy Patent 2,682,476disclose various pencil lead compositions. The plasticized pencil leadcomposition shaped in the aforesaid manner may be dried within the moldand then tired at conventionally used Atiring conditions.

When the temperature of the mold has been returned to room temperature,upper section 52 is raised from lower section 54 and plate 60 carryingthe hardened pencil marking-points is removed from lower section 54.

The plate is then positioned on a suitable multipunch Y Vpress 70 havinga plurality of punches 72 (see FG- URE 7).

As shown in FIGURE 7 the pencil marking-points of lthe present invention`are cut away from plate 68 on the downward movement `of punch '72 (seeVtcp larrow in FIGURE 7 The cut-away pencil marking-points it) falldownwardly in the direction of the bottom arrow, vand are collected atthe bottom of the press 76.

Preferably, the split tube magazine 23 is positioned inmediately belowthe openings in multipunch press 70 so that the movement of punch 72pushes the cut-away pencil marking-points directly into the split tubemagazine 23.

In the embodimentshown in FIGURE 3a, the pencil marking-point includesfa collar 12a and a pencil lead 14a. Collar 12a Iis crimped somewhat at15, so that it partially projects into pencil lead 14a. The inwardprojection 15' of collar 12a serves as a thrust pillow and retentionstop absorbing longitudinally directed stresses.

Pencil lead 14a is provided with a point 16a, and a cone-shaped cavity18a surrounded by an annular flat 19a. The lower end of collar 12a isprovided with `an inwardly directed flange 21a.

The present invention may be embodied in other specie forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and,accordingly, reference should be made to fthe appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing speciiication as indicating lthe scope of theinvention.

This application is a division `of my copending patent applicationSerial No. 508,957 filed May 17, 1955, now Patent No. 2,942,577.

I claim: Y

1. A method of making pencil making-points comprising the steps ofplacing la plate having ya depending annular ange terminating in anlannular radiallyY i11- Wardly directed flange over a mold having ablind cavity in a manner so that said flange is disposed within saidcavity, said step being laccomplished in a manner so that the aperturedefined by sm'd annular radially inwardly directed ange is in line witha conical portion at the bottom of said cavity, inserting plasticizedpencil lead composition in said depending ange Iand the conical portionof said cavity in a manner so that the upper level of said compositionis slightly below the plane fof said plate, forming a conical recess inthe upper surface of said composition, hardening the composition at anelevated temperature to form a pencil-marking point embraced by saiddepending annular ange and having a conical portion projecting throughthe aperture defined by said radially inwardly directed flange andprojecting itherebeyond, and cutting the metal plate along a planegenerally proximating the outer surface `of said depending annulariiange to separate said annular ange from said plate.

2. A method in accordance with claim `1 wherein said plate -is providedwith a plurality of said annular depending anges, said mold having 'aplurality of said cavities, and said plate being placed over said moldin a manner so that a separate one of said depending annular flangesextends into Ione of said cavities.

References (Jited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,669,342 Mayol May 8, 1928 1,967,077 -Boegehold et al July 17, 19342,158,044 Haller May 9, 1939 2,302,045 Neumann Nov. 17, 1942 2,331,074Jones Oct. 5, 1943 2,545,352 Gibbs Mar. 13, 1 2,572,438 Branson Oct. 23,1951 2,841,863 Geisler July 8, 1958 2,888,742 Stumbock June 2, 19592,982,999 Stewart May 9, 1961

1. A METHOD OF MAKING PENCIL MARKING-POINTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OFPLACING A PLATE HAVING A DEPENDING ANNULAR FLANGE TERMINATING IN ANANNULAR RADIALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE OVER A MOLD HAVING A BLINDCAVITY IN A MANNER SO THAT SAID FLANGE IS DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CAVITY,SAID STEP BEING ACCOMPLISHED IN A MANNER SO THAT THE APERTURE DEFINED BYSAID ANNULAR RADIALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE IS IN LINE WITH A CONICALPORTION AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID CAVITY, INSERTING PLASTICIZED PENCIL LEADCOMPOSITION IN SAID DEPENDING FLANGE AND THE CONICAL PORTION OF SAIDCAVITY IN A MANNER SO THAT THE UPPER LEVEL OF SAID COMPOSITION ISSLIGHTLY BELOW THE PLANE OF SAID PLATE, FORMING A CONICAL RECESS IN THEUPPER SURFACE OF SAID COMPOSITION, HARDENING THE COMPOSITION AT ANELEVATED TEMPERATURE TO FORM A PENCIL-MARKING POINT EMBRACED BY SAIDDEPENDING ANNULAR FLANGE AND HAVING A CONICAL PORTION PROJECTING THROUGHTHE APERTURE DEFINED BY SAID RADIALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED FLANGE ANDPROJECTING THEREBEYOND, AND CUTTING THE METAL PLATE ALONG A PLANEGENERALLY PROXIMATING THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID DEPENDING ANNULAR FLANGETO SEPARATE SAID ANNULAR FLANGE FROM SAID PLATE.